WCCO | CBS Minnesotahttp://minnesota.cbslocal.com
News, Sports, Weather, Traffic, and the Best of Minnesota, and the Twin Cities of Minneapolis-St. Paul.Fri, 09 Dec 2016 16:04:44 +0000enhourly1http://wordpress.com/http://1.gravatar.com/blavatar/306ed083e68aa1a8027608b8156838d2?s=96&d=http%3A%2F%2Fs2.wp.com%2Fi%2Fbuttonw-com.pngWCCO | CBS Minnesotahttp://minnesota.cbslocal.com
Authorities Rescue 5 Children From Burning Townhome; Mother Hospitalizedhttp://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/09/burning-townhome-alexandria/
http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/09/burning-townhome-alexandria/#respondFri, 09 Dec 2016 16:01:15 +0000WCCO | CBS Minnesotahttp://minnesota.cbslocal.com/?p=704887A woman was hospitalized after she and five children were pulled from a burning townhome in central Minnesota Friday morning.]]>MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – A woman was hospitalized after she and five children were pulled from a burning townhome in central Minnesota Friday morning.

Authorities in Alexandria responded to a fire on the 400 block of Unumb Drive just before 3:30 a.m., according to police.

After officers safely rescued five children from the townhome, the children said their mother was still inside. The fire department arrived, began extinguishing the fire and found the woman unresponsive with visible burns.

The woman was transported to the Douglas County Hospital before being airlifted to Hennepin County Medical Center. Her condition is unknown at this time, police said.

The children are ages 5, 8, 11, 16 and 17.

The fire began in the kitchen, according to police, but the cause is unknown at this time. Seventy-five percent of the townhome was damaged and adjacent townhomes were evacuated.

]]>http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/09/burning-townhome-alexandria/feed/0Keidel: Buccaneers Winning… For Nowhttp://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/09/keidel-buccaneers-winning-for-now/
http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/09/keidel-buccaneers-winning-for-now/#respondFri, 09 Dec 2016 15:51:49 +0000WCCO | CBS Minnesotahttp://minnesota.cbslocal.com/?p=704884The Buccaneers may be the NFL's most overlooked playoff contender, and not without reason. Can they change perceptions?]]>By Jason Keidel

When pondering the NFL’s most essential teams, Tampa Bay is rarely high on the list.

Yet they’ve had odd growth spurts since entering the league in 1976. The Bucs lost their first 26 games but made the NFC title game in 1979.

Fast forward 20 years, when Tony Dungy slowly built them into a behemoth. While Dungy didn’t get a chance to feast on the fruits of his labor, Jon Gruden led the Buccaneers to their lone Super Bowl title in 2002.

But between ascents, they’ve been one of the more forlorn franchises in the sport. The Bucs have had 11 coaches in club history, and only two have winning records (Dungy and Gruden). Maybe that’s about to change.

Fast forward another 15 years. What are the Buccaneers? Are they a team on the come, with an all-world wideout and a young franchise quarterback? Are they the team that’s won four straight games, and only getting better? Or are they a mediocre, 7-5 team stuck in the muck of pretenders?

During their four-game tear, Tampa Bay has had some rather impressive victories, including one against perennial Super Bowl contender Seattle Seahawks and two surprising road wins at Kansas City and San Diego. (The Chiefs and Seahawks entered this week a combined 17-6-1.)

Still, they have a conflicted resume. Tampa Bay is one of two teams over .500 that has scored fewer points than they’ve allowed. (Miami is the other.)

The Buccaneers have surrendered a woeful 366 yards per game, 22nd in the NFL. That includes a troubling 116.1 yards on the ground, which ranks 25th. As teams play a more conservative brand of ball later in the season, Tampa Bay will have to plug those chasms in their run defense if they even want to reach the playoffs, much less advance.

But, as with all teams, the Bucs will ride as far as their quarterback’s arm will take them. Which means Tampa Bay is tethered to Jameis Winston, the charismatic quarterback who oozes a contagious spunk that has the locals believing. Winston is 11th in yardage (3,180) and eighth in touchdowns (23). But he has yet to cement himself as a consistent high-end performer, evidenced by his completion percentage (61. 7), which is 23rd, and his passer rating (90.0), which is 20th. Winston has also thrown 12 interceptions, tied for fifth most in the league.

It would help if Tampa had a rugged running game to nurse Winston during his football maturation. But Pro Bowl RB Doug Martin has had trouble staying healthy, playing in just five of the team’s 12 games, with just 313 total yards and two touchdowns. Quite a contrast from 2015, when he bulldozed the sport. Last year Martin played in all 16 games, averaged nearly five yards per carry (4.9) and rushed for 1,402 yards. Without Martin in the lineup the bulk of the season, Tampa Bay’s running game has sagged to 17th in the league, with just 104.9 yards per game.

Perhaps no playoff contender has been more overlooked than Tampa Bay. Part of that is their solemn history. Part of that is their lack of a transcendent player, or at least not one who we’ve noticed. It’s clear that WR Mike Evans is quickly asserting himself as a great player. Lavonte David is one of the game’s preeminent linebackers, but with highlights largely reserved for touchdown dances, you’ve likely not heard of him. They also aren’t a flagship franchise, nor do they play in a media hub, like New York City or Chicago.

But winning is the best billboard for any franchise. With the Atlanta Falcons slipping back to the pack, the Buccaneers are tied for first place in the NFC South. Three of their final four games are against division foes, so their path to the playoffs is entirely in their hands. And it starts this weekend, at home, against the New Orleans Saints.

Jason writes a weekly column for CBS Local Sports. He is a native New Yorker, sans the elitist sensibilities, and believes there’s a world west of the Hudson River. A Yankees devotee and Steelers groupie, he has been scouring the forest of fertile NYC sports sections since the 1970s. He has written over 500 columns for WFAN/CBS NY, and also worked as a freelance writer for Sports Illustrated and Newsday subsidiary amNew York. He made his bones as a boxing writer, occasionally covering fights in Las Vegas, Atlantic City, but mostly inside Madison Square Garden. Follow him on Twitter @JasonKeidel.

]]>http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/09/keidel-buccaneers-winning-for-now/feed/06 Displaced In North Minneapolis House Firehttp://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/09/north-minneapolis-fire-penn-ave/
http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/09/north-minneapolis-fire-penn-ave/#respondFri, 09 Dec 2016 15:30:03 +0000WCCO | CBS Minnesotahttp://minnesota.cbslocal.com/?p=704879A north Minneapolis home is damaged following a fire early Friday morning. According to the Minneapolis Fire Department, just before 7 a.m. officers received a call of a house fire on the 4900 block of Penn Avenue N.]]>MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – A north Minneapolis home is damaged following a fire early Friday morning.

According to the Minneapolis Fire Department, just before 7 a.m. officers received a call of a house fire on the 4900 block of Penn Avenue N.

Upon arrival, the found smoke coming from the second floor. Four adults, one teen and one child were evacuating the house.

Further investigation found that fire began in a second floor closet. It was knocked down withing 15 minutes.

Everyone was able to get out of the house safely.

One person reportedly has cuts and burns to the hands, but no other injuries were reported. All six occupants are in the care of the Red Cross.

The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.

]]>http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/09/north-minneapolis-fire-penn-ave/feed/0WATCH: Towns Drops Brutal Dunk On Raptors’ Valanciunashttp://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/09/towns-drops-brutal-dunk/
http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/09/towns-drops-brutal-dunk/#respondFri, 09 Dec 2016 15:22:58 +0000WCCO | CBS Minnesotahttp://minnesota.cbslocal.com/?p=704878The Minnesota Timberwolves were once again doomed by a lackluster second half Thursday, but the team can take solace in the fact that Karl-Anthony Towns continues to be one of the best young players in the game.]]>MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – The Minnesota Timberwolves were once again doomed by a lackluster second half Thursday, but the team can take solace in the fact that Karl-Anthony Towns continues to be one of the best young players in the game.

The Wolves fell to the Toronto Raptors 124-110 Thursday, despite strong efforts from Towns, Zach Lavine and Andrew Wiggins. Towns had the play of the night, though, when he dropped a massive dunk on Jonas Valanciunas.

Towns fooled two other Raptors on the play, faking a handoff to Wiggins before driving to the basket and slamming a downright disrespectful dunk on the Raptors’ 7-foot center.

Towns had 17 points and 11 rebounds in the losing effort, his 13th double-double of the season. The Wolves sit at 6-16.

]]>http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/09/towns-drops-brutal-dunk/feed/0Lakes & Legends Brewing Company Celebrates 1st Anniversaryhttp://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/09/lakes-legends-brewing-company-celebrates-1st-anniversary/
http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/09/lakes-legends-brewing-company-celebrates-1st-anniversary/#respondFri, 09 Dec 2016 15:00:14 +0000WCCO | CBS Minnesotahttp://minnesota.cbslocal.com/?p=704649Lakes & Legends Brewing Company in the Loring Park neighborhood in Minneapolis is celebrating its first anniversary by throwing a big party.]]>Lakes & Legends Brewing Company in the Loring Park neighborhood in Minneapolis is celebrating its first anniversary by throwing a big party.

]]>http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/09/kirk-douglas-turns-100/feed/0Report: HCMC To Reduce Workforce By 4 Percenthttp://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/09/hcmc-reduces-workforce/
http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/09/hcmc-reduces-workforce/#respondFri, 09 Dec 2016 14:25:47 +0000WCCO | CBS Minnesotahttp://minnesota.cbslocal.com/?p=704857Hennepin County Medical Center in downtown Minneapolis is planning to reduce its workforce by as much as 4 percent next year.]]>MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Hennepin County Medical Center in downtown Minneapolis is planning to reduce its workforce by as much as 4 percent next year.

The hospital plans to eliminate up to 275 full-time positions to balance the budget and keep the opening of a $220 million ambulatory and outpatient surgery center on schedule for 2018, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported.

The hospital’s workforce totals about 6,800 people, according to Minnesota Public Radio. Hospital leaders haven’t said what types of workers are at risk for layoffs, though Chief Executive Jon Pryor told county commissioners that “everything’s on the table.”

Some jobs might be eliminated through attrition rather than through layoffs, according to Chief Financial Officer Derrick Hollings.

“At the end of the process, it is not our anticipation that the actual pink slips or layoffs will be 275,” he told the Star Tribune.

The workforce reduction will save the hospital $28 million. Proposed wage freezes would save another $3 million. County commissioners are to vote on the hospital budget Tuesday.

Even though patient activity has increased, hospital leaders have bemoaned the high share of patients who are covered by the state’s Medical Assistance program. They contend the state program for the poor and disabled reimburses hospitals and clinics below the cost of caring for patients.

Construction of the ambulatory center is expected to draw a broader mix of patients, including those with private insurance, which could help stabilize the hospital’s finances.

HCMC also imposed layoffs in 2009, when about 200 jobs were cut and the hospital instituted a pay freeze, according to Public Radio.

]]>http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/09/hcmc-reduces-workforce/feed/0Ready Your Eyes, NASA Releases ‘GIPHY’ Page Filled With Amazing GIFshttp://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/09/nasa-gifs-giphy-pinterest/
http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/09/nasa-gifs-giphy-pinterest/#respondFri, 09 Dec 2016 14:24:11 +0000WCCO | CBS Minnesotahttp://minnesota.cbslocal.com/?p=704844If you just can’t get enough of all things space, NASA has you covered. ]]>MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — If you just can’t get enough of all things space, NASA has you covered.

]]>http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/09/nasa-gifs-giphy-pinterest/feed/04 Things To Know: John Glenn’s Death, Nation-Wide Wintry Weather & Morehttp://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/09/4-things-to-know-john-glenns-death-nation-wide-wintry-weather-more/
http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/09/4-things-to-know-john-glenns-death-nation-wide-wintry-weather-more/#respondFri, 09 Dec 2016 14:23:11 +0000WCCO | CBS Minnesotahttp://minnesota.cbslocal.com/?p=704836From the death of the legendary John Glenn to winter weather affecting a large part of the country, here are the four stories to know for Friday, Dec. 9. ]]>

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — From the death of the legendary John Glenn to winter weather affecting a large part of the country, here are the four stories to know for Friday, Dec. 9.

John Glenn Dies

People around the world are mourning the death of John Glenn. He was the first American to orbit the Earth and went on to serve more than two decades in the U.S. Senate, representing Ohio. Glenn also ran for president in 1984. He passed away at the age of 95.

Wintry Weather Around The Country

Wintry weather continues to hit much of the country with heavy snow, whiteout conditions, and subzero temperatures. Blinding snowstorms caused major pileups in several states yesterday, including Michigan where at least three people died. Parts of the deep south could see single digit temperatures this weekend.

Sweet 16 Volleyball

A big night for the Gopher women’s volleyball team. They play host to the Sweet 16, one of four NCAA regionals. The Gophers are the second ranked team in the country with a record of 27 and 4. The women take on No. 15 ranked Missouri Tigers at the Sports Pavillion at 7:15 tonight. If the Gophers win they advance to the Elite 8. That match will be at 9 Saturday night.

Pets & Santa

If your pets haven’t seen Santa yet, now’s their chance! The Northtown Mall in Blaine will host a pet photos with Santa event tonight from 5 until 9. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the local humane society.

In Minneapolis we have Tullibee in the new Hewing Hotel, focusing on Nordic cuisine; Café Alma, an expansion of Restaurant Alma offering deliciously crafted bites and creative drink concoctions; and heck, even Farmington got in on the action with the opening of Bourbon Butcher this week, doing just what their name implies: bourbon and meat.

The restaurant is an endeavor at least two years in the making, and Chef Ann Kim’s journey to restaurant ownership started several years before that.

I remember sitting in a Women Who Really Cook (WWRC) meeting back in 2009 and listening to Kim talk about this fancy copper pizza oven she ordered from France. After all, she is certified as a pizzaiola from the International School of Pizza (Yes, that is a thing). The pizza oven would be the first of its kind in Minnesota and the centerpiece of her new restaurant, Pizzeria Lola.

Shortly after, in 2010, Pizzeria Lola opened in South Minneapolis and was soon followed by a more casual pizza joint, Hello Pizza.

When the space next to the Dangerous Man taproom in Northeast Minneapolis was snatched up, rumor was that Kim was planning something new. Maybe it would be pizza related, maybe it would be meat focused. Either way, there was going to be wood fire and amazing food.

Turns out, it’s a little bit of both.

The menu features a large selection of pizzas cooked in the copper oven, a nice variety of meats – like Thai sausage, Korean spare ribs, and spicy meatballs – and even a decently sized veggie menu with options like mushrooms with miso butter, sweet potatoes with charred scallions and more.

(credit: Crystal Grobe)

We went on opening night and ordered The Royale pizza – which comes with ham, ricotta, and arugula – and a side of Brussels sprouts with pork belly and kumquats. Both were delicious and, if you’re a pizza fan, it’s not to be missed.

(credit: Crystal Grobe)

The restaurant itself is gorgeous with large wood tables and pillars and plenty of activity. There’s a back chef’s bar, where you can watch the vegetables be prepared in a wood oven. There’s the actual bar, which doubles as a great workspace during the day, and there are several communal tables which lend to the inclusivity of the restaurant.

It’s the perfect spot to be in the winter with all of those wood fires burning!

There’s one more thing I have to mention: the speakeasy back bar.

While part of Young Joni, you can’t access it through the restaurant. It’s more of a “look for the red light in the alley and find a door” type of entrance. Don’t worry, it’s not too secret as there was a paper sign clearly labeling the door when I visited.

Inside you’ll find a dimly lit lounge with a variety of comfy seating and an entirely different menu of cocktails designed by bartender Adam Gorski, formerly of La Belle Vie. I tried the Vaya con Dios that had mezcal, celery, citrus and vermouth. So refreshing and right up my alley.

All of the other drinks I tried were equally refreshing and meant to be sipped and enjoyed while conversing with friends.

If you’re looking for a place to go this weekend, check out Young Joni. Make a reservation for the restaurant. Then, venture to the back bar for a cocktail before or after.

Or, just swing in for dessert. Young Joni has soft serve drizzled with olive oil and sea salt (trust me, it’s a fantastic combination) or order the church basement bars. It’s just the type of desert you’d expect when going to a church potluck.

Young Joni is located at 165 13th Avenue NE. For more information, or to make reservations, call 612-345-5719 or visit the restaurant online.

]]>http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/09/bite-of-minnesota-young-joni/feed/01 Killed After Semi Broadsides Car In Rice Countyhttp://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/09/rice-county-fatal-accident/
http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/09/rice-county-fatal-accident/#respondFri, 09 Dec 2016 13:41:31 +0000WCCO | CBS Minnesotahttp://minnesota.cbslocal.com/?p=704838One man was killed after a car and semi-truck collided on Highway 99 in Rice County Thursday evening.]]>MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – One man was killed after a car and semi-truck collided on Highway 99 in Rice County Thursday evening.

According to the Minnesota State Patrol, a Pontiac, driven by a 60-year-old Faribault man, was traveling southbound on Highway 21.

The Pontiac was turning eastbound onto Highway 99 when it collided with a semi that was traveling westbound on Highway 99. The semi was drive by a 37-year-old Springfield man.

The 60-year-old man was killed. The 37-year-old man suffered no apparent injury.

The name of the victim has not yet been released.

The cause of the crash is currently under investigation.

]]>http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/09/rice-county-fatal-accident/feed/0Several Ski Areas Open For Seasonhttp://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/09/ski-areas-open-for-season/
http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/09/ski-areas-open-for-season/#respondFri, 09 Dec 2016 12:36:50 +0000WCCO | CBS Minnesotahttp://minnesota.cbslocal.com/?p=704831As the temperatures drop and snow moves in, several ski areas are opening for the season this weekend in Minnesota.]]>MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – As the temperatures drop and snow moves in, several ski areas are opening for the season this weekend in Minnesota.

On Friday, Welch Village, Giants Ridge in Biwabik and Mount Kato in Mankato are opening.

On Saturday, Spirit Mountain in Duluth, the Detroit Mountain Recreation Area, and the Buena Vista Ski Area in Bemidji will open.

Then on Sunday, the Coffee Mill Ski and Snowboard Resort in Wabasha will open for the season.

Donald Trump defeated Hillary Clinton by more than 22,000 votes in the state. Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein requested the recount to determine if election machines were hacked.

Two pro-Trump groups, the Great America PAC and the Stop Hillary PAC, filed a federal lawsuit Dec. 1, the day the recount began, seeking to stop the process. Judge James Peterson has scheduled a hearing Friday in Madison.

Wisconsin’s recount was more than 82 percent complete as of Wednesday. So far Clinton has gained 61 votes.

Stein wants recounts in Michigan and Pennsylvania, too. A federal judge in Michigan has halted that state’s recount. A federal judge in Pennsylvania will hold a hearing Friday on whether that recount can begin.

]]>http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/09/wisconsin-recount-stopping/feed/1Mpls. City Council Mulls Severing Ties With Wells Fargohttp://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/08/mpls-wells-fargo/
http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/08/mpls-wells-fargo/#respondFri, 09 Dec 2016 04:45:12 +0000WCCO | CBS Minnesotahttp://minnesota.cbslocal.com/?p=704796The city of Minneapolis is calling out Wells Fargo, saying they are looking into taking their business elsewhere.]]>

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — The city of Minneapolis is calling out Wells Fargo, saying they are looking into taking their business elsewhere.

The city council voted unanimously to explore ways they can stop doing business with banks that invest in the fossil fuel industry.

“This is about looking at the options that we have as a city to use our taxpayer dollars in a responsible way, in a way that will protect the environment and the people,” said Councilmember Alondra Cano.

She says she proposed looking into how the city could end its relationship with Wells Fargo after her constituents showed concern that the nation’s fourth-largest bank is backing the pipeline project. And it is not just the environment she is concerned about.

“In the case of Wells Fargo, over two million fraudulent accounts that they opened up on behalf of people that they were not aware of,” Cano said.

She says the bank’s fake accounts scandal also raised red flags. But according to Wells Fargo, they have invested $300 million into building two towers near U.S. Bank Stadium, and they employee 11,000 people in Minneapolis.

A spokesman said in a statement, “We are very proud of our 131-year, long standing tradition of serving the Minneapolis community.”

Councilmember Cam Gordon, who wrote the proposal with Cano, said it is possible the city could alienate Wells Fargo, but he is hoping they can work together.

“I think that the city wants to be a good partner with Wells Fargo, and a good customer or client,” Gordon said. “So this is something to work out.”

The council has assigned their finance staff to see what other options may be out there, including possibly working with credit unions instead of banks like Wells Fargo.

They expect to have a detailed report on this by July of next year.

]]>http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/08/mpls-wells-fargo/feed/0Good Question: Can It Be Too Cold To Snow?http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/08/gq-too-cold-to-snow/
http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/08/gq-too-cold-to-snow/#commentsFri, 09 Dec 2016 04:44:52 +0000WCCO | CBS Minnesotahttp://minnesota.cbslocal.com/?p=704778If you grew up in Minnesota, you have likely heard someone tell you it is too cold to snow. But is that a real thing?]]>

If you grew up in Minnesota, you have likely heard someone tell you it is too cold to snow.

“Maybe there’s something going on in the sky and God says, ‘You know what? They’re already freezing their butts off, let’s hold back on the snow!'” joked one Minneapolis woman.

But it turns out the science does not support that theory – at least on Earth.

“It’s not physically possible here on Earth to get too cold to snow,” said Alli Keclic, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.

It snowed 8.4 inches in the Twin Cities on Jan. 16, 1994. The temperature that day ranged between zero and minus-15 degrees.

Keclic says while it is certainly possible for snow to fall in very cold temperatures, it is less likely. The colder it gets, the less moisture there is in the air because the air cannot physically hold it.

The temperature where it would be too cold to snow is absolute zero, which is minus-273 degrees Celsius — or minus-459.4 Fahrenheit.

]]>http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/08/gq-too-cold-to-snow/feed/1WCCO Viewers’ Choice For Best Lasagna In Minnesotahttp://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/08/best-lasagna-minnesota/
http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/08/best-lasagna-minnesota/#respondFri, 09 Dec 2016 04:44:41 +0000WCCO | CBS Minnesotahttp://minnesota.cbslocal.com/?p=704800As the temperatures drop, we are in the mood for some Italian comfort food. This time of year folks love lasagna, a festive favorite.]]>

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — As the temperatures drop, we are in the mood for some Italian comfort food. This time of year folks love lasagna, a festive favorite.

And we wanted to find the best Minnesota has to offer. Natalie Nyhus asked, and you answered. Join her on the east side of St. Paul for a huge plate at the Little Oven.

The Morelli family has been doing Italian food on the east side of St. Paul for more than 100 years.

“My grandpa came here shortly after the turn of the century,” Jimmy Morelli said.

But it was grandma who wanted a shop.

“Her father who was the man who baked the bread in the neighborhood — that’s what he did for a living, in outside ovens — gave her $500 to start a store in 1915,” Jimmy said.

That was Morelli’s, and it still exists in St. Paul today, though Jimmy has brought his family’s history to another St. Paul restaurant called The Little Oven.

“The lower east side [of St. Paul] was probably the hub … of Little Italy, and always was an immigrant neighborhood,” Jimmy said. “There was a lot of pride in it, a lot of pride in the home, in family, great restaurants and businesses that survived decades and decades.”

The Little Oven is one of those Morelli restaurants — serving pizzas, pastas and the best lasagna in Minnesota for 25 years.

“My dad had a good reputation for lasagna. … As my dad got older, he showed me,” Jimmy said. “That’s the recipe that I took up here when we started the Little Oven.”

They make their own sausage, specially season the ricotta and have created their own sauce recipe. And then there’s the mozzarella.

“We go through over a ton of mozzarella cheese in a week,” Jimmy said. “It comes in 50-pound cases … and we go through 45 to 50 cases a week, just here.”

Those ingredients make layer after delicious layer of lasagna — six in total. So what makes this lasagna the best in Minnesota?

“The care that we give it, and that we’ve have the same people with the same recipe for so long,” Jimmy said.

Jimmy says, if it’s not broken, don’t fix it. And according to the smiling, stuffed faces in the dining hall, this recipe is definitely not broken.

“You have to be so blessed to have this type of longevity in this business,” Jimmy said. “And it’s not because of an owner. It’s because of the people, the customers, the loyalty.”

Your other favorite places for lasagna are Broders in Minneapolis and Mucci’s Italian in St. Paul.

With Toronto down 95-94 with 8:46 left, DeRozan and Lowry keyed a 17-4 Raptors run that took the game away from the youthful Timberwolves. Toronto eventually pulled out a 124-110 victory, handing Minnesota its 13th straight loss at the Air Canada Centre.

“We just picked it up,” DeRozan said. “We kicked in our experience of understanding how we have to win games. We can’t underestimate a team like that that plays extremely hard.”

DeRozan had a team-high 27 points for the Raptors, Lowry added 25 points with 11 assists, and Jonas Valanciunas registered his team-leading sixth double-double on 20 points and 10 rebounds.

“We just have guys that are used to it, trying to come through at the end of games and sticking with the game plan and sticking with the course of action,” Lowry said.

After Toronto fell behind 11-2, coach Dwane Casey sat all his starters except for DeRozan in an attempt to get kick-start his team into action. Toronto still trailed by 10 at the end of the first quarter, but it sent a message.

“We can be a good team, but we can’t be special if we allow things to happen that happened in the first two quarters,” Casey said.

His counterpart, Tom Thibodeau, shared that sentiment, especially after seeing his team enter the final 12 minutes with the lead, 89-88. However, the Timberwolves could only shoot 38.9 percent in the final quarter, allowing the Raptors to outscore them 36-21.

“I thought the first three quarters were very good, connected, making the right reads, right plays, ball movement and screening a lot of good things happened,” Thibodeau said. “Then in the fourth quarter we got away from that.”

Zach LaVine led all Timberwolves scorers with 29 points, while Andrew Wiggins, playing in his hometown for the third time in the NBA, had 25.

However, the loss didn’t take off too much of the shine playing in front of family and friends for the Canadian, who is still waiting for his first taste of NBA victory on home soil.

“We need to get that first win here for it to be really good, but it’s always good to play back home,” he said.

TIP-INS

Timberwolves: Minnesota fell to 2-14 when allowing 100 or more points. The Timberwolves have had double-digit first-half leads in 11 of their 22 games. The 37 points that Toronto scored in the second quarter were the most Minnesota has given up in a second quarter this season.

Raptors: Wore their blue-and-white Toronto Huskies uniforms for the second time this season. Uniforms are replicas of those worn by the Huskies during the NBA’s inaugural season in 1946-47. DeRozan played his 543rd game for the Raptors, breaking a tie with Morris Peterson for the most in team history. Toronto successfully converted 10-or-more 3-pointers for an eighth straight game, extending its franchise record. Raptors are 10-1 this season when Carroll scores 10 or more points.

HE SAID IT

“All his shots are lucky. To me it’s a bad shot.” — DeRozan jokingly about Lowry, who with 5:41 to go in the third quarter drained a 31-foot jump shot, one of the five 3-pointers he had on the night.

RING IT UP

Before the opening tip-off, USA Basketball men’s national team director Sean Ford presented DeRozan and Lowry with their Team USA Olympic championship rings. The pair helped the U.S. win its third straight gold medal in August.

]]>http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/08/timberwolves-raptors-recap/feed/1Inside The Minneapolis Day Care Hanging 911 Callhttp://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/08/daycare-hanging-911/
http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/08/daycare-hanging-911/#respondFri, 09 Dec 2016 04:17:12 +0000WCCO | CBS Minnesotahttp://minnesota.cbslocal.com/?p=704802The toddler hanged by his daycare provider is home with family and playing again. ]]>

WCCO looks at the 911 call, and what police took from the home day care.

The 911 transcript details a frantic call for help.

“I have a major emergency. A woman, the day care provider, Natalia, hung a baby downstairs. The baby’s alive,” said the caller.

The caller went on to say that an ambulance was needed.

(credit: CBS)

“I need to go there because there are other children, she has about five children I think today at her daycare. I need to go back in, please send assistance,” said the caller.

The caller said her husband discovered what happened when he went to pick up their daughter. She called a second time asking for another ambulance.

“I’m scared the lady’s doing something to herself, the day care lady,” said the 911 operator.

The day care lady is Nataliia Karia. She ran a licensed day care out of her home on Humboldt Ave South. Police say she fled the home in her minivan, struck a man and dragged him for several blocks before hit another man on a bike.

Karia made it to the Park Avenue Bridge over Interstate 94, where police say bystanders were holding her down when they arrived. Witnesses told police she had tried to jump.

A search warrant of her home shows police took a pill bottle that belonged to Karia, along with mailings, a noose and a blue chair. Police also collected a blood sample from her.

A GoFundMe page set up by Karia’s 18-year-old son says she is married and has three daughters under age 10. It says they are struggling to pay bills and the family relied on Karia’s income.

But it is the account set up by a friend of the toddler who Karia is accused of trying to hang that shows the devastating impact of her actions.

Nataliia Karia (credit: Hennepin Co. Sheriff’s Office)

It details how his moms met at Bible College, how they married and decided to have a baby.

“A beautiful baby boy. Who screamed like a flying hyena for the first couple of months of his life. Who learned to crawl and eat things off the floor. Who is so easy with his smiles that you think you’re his favorite thing in the whole wide world even if you just walked through the front door,” said the family friend on the GoFundMe page.

And then came the Nov. 18 incident at Uptown Day Care.

“He survived. He lived. He’s home and romping around playing with his dog and going on walks with his Mommies. He’s healing. They are healing. But they need our help,” said the family friend. “It’s not just arms and limbs and skin that needs to heal, hearts and minds have to find a way through the trauma as well.”

The GoFundMe has raised about $19,000 so far for medical costs, therapy, a new child care provider and time off from work.

Karia will have a pretrial hearing later this month.

]]>http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/08/daycare-hanging-911/feed/03 Tips To Help Write A Pitch That Will Get Your Startup Off The Groundhttp://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/08/3-tips-write-pitch/
http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/08/3-tips-write-pitch/#respondFri, 09 Dec 2016 02:00:21 +0000WCCO | CBS Minnesotahttp://minnesota.cbslocal.com/?p=704821Writing the pitch that will help you realize your entrepreneurial ambitions isn't always easy.]]>

Writing a pitch that will get a venture capitalist to agree to entrust you with thousands or even hundreds of thousands of dollars isn’t easy. The reality is, no matter how polished your presentation, no matter how promising your sales data is and no matter how specifically tailored your pitch, you might very well receive a definitive no for reasons completely outside of your control. However, there are a few guidelines you can follow that will help you avoid pitfalls that have taken down many a burgeoning entrepreneur.

Be concise

This suggestion may seem obvious at face value, but many passionate and intelligent entrepreneurs cannot make a concise pitch. While it’s a good idea to have a concise version of how you came to develop a product because it imbues your pitch with a relatable human element, the story should not overshadow the purpose and function of the product. Having a concise, dynamic and memorable pitch has a much higher likelihood of connecting with the busy venture capitalist than a condensed version of your autobiography that ends with a vague description of the thing you’re supposed to be selling.

Provide context

When it comes to providing context for your pitch, you need to do more than talk about profitability, sales and scalability. You also need to address the potential market for your product, the specific challenges your company will face trying to enter that market and the companies that are currently dominating that space. Failing to acknowledge those three things in your pitch, either out of ignorance or because you think your pitch will go better if you don’t mention them, will be a strong indicator to potential investors that you are not a serious entrepreneur.

Explain why you’re a solution

One really effective way to hook a venture capitalist is to explain how your product is a solution to an existing problem. It’s deceptively easy to lose the attention of the person you’re pitching to by overwhelming them with data and descriptions of your product’s features. If you discuss how the thing you’re selling will fulfill a consumer need that no other company is adequately addressing in a way that’s faster and easier than the current market leader, your pitch will not just grab attention, it’ll provoke fascination.

This article was written by Mario McKellop for CBS Small Business Pulse.

]]>http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/08/3-tips-write-pitch/feed/02 Dogs Rescued After Falling Through Ice On Eagan Lakehttp://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/08/2-dogs-rescued-after-falling-through-ice-on-eagan-lake/
http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/08/2-dogs-rescued-after-falling-through-ice-on-eagan-lake/#commentsFri, 09 Dec 2016 00:52:46 +0000WCCO | CBS Minnesotahttp://minnesota.cbslocal.com/?p=704785Authorities say two dogs had to be rescued Thursday morning after falling through the ice on a lake in the southeast Twin Cities metro.]]>MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Authorities say two dogs had to be rescued Thursday morning after falling through the ice on a lake in the southeast Twin Cities metro.

Officials with the City of Eagan say the incident happened on East Thomas Lake. Pictures taken from the scene show two firefighters in a canoe on a portion of the lake that is open water. A majority of the lake appears to be frozen over.

Authorities say both dogs were rescued from the lake and were returned to their owners. It’s not known how they got to the lake, but both dogs are doing well. It’s another reminder that despite the recent cold temperatures, lakes are not yet safe to walk on.

]]>http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/08/2-dogs-rescued-after-falling-through-ice-on-eagan-lake/feed/1City Council Votes To Remove St. Paul Officers From Internal Affairs Commissionhttp://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/08/city-council-votes-to-remove-st-paul-officers-from-internal-affairs-commission/
http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/08/city-council-votes-to-remove-st-paul-officers-from-internal-affairs-commission/#commentsFri, 09 Dec 2016 00:36:19 +0000WCCO | CBS Minnesotahttp://minnesota.cbslocal.com/?p=704754The St. Paul commission that reviews complaints against police will soon not have any officers weighing in on those decisions.]]>

ST. PAUL, Minn. (WCCO) — The St. Paul commission that reviews complaints against police will soon not have any officers weighing in on those decisions.

In a surprise move Wednesday night, the St. Paul city council voted to remove the two police officers that sit on its police-civilian internal affairs review commission. Nine citizens will now make up the membership.

For more than 20 years, this commission has been in place in St. Paul. The members handle all external complaints made against police officers, from excessive force to discrimination. Now, for the first time in its history, police won’t have a say on the panel.

St. Paul Police Federation President Dave Titus calls the city council’s move shocking.

“They turned their backs on cops. Period,” Titus said.

He compared the review commission to others that exist to hold lawyers or doctors accountable.

“A subject matter expert being a street cop should be on that commission,” Titus said.

John Thompson sees it differently as a long-time friend of Philando Castile, a man shot and killed by a St. Anthony police officer in July.

“I think yesterday was a big step toward the change everyone said they wanted,” Thompson said.

“We can’t stand in front of the Governor’s Mansion and protest and hold signs all day. We have to start making changes from within the system,” he added.

It’s a system that has been under the microscope for months. A recent audit of the review commission recommended removing police from the board.

Last month, the mayor’s office suggested a compromise: Only police commanders could stay. But after expressing plans to keep police in place just two weeks ago, some city council members changed course after so much community feedback.

“There has to be a level of trust with the police department. They have to rebuild that trust because we didn’t break it, they did,” Thompson said.

As always, St. Paul’s police chief will have the final say to impose discipline based on the commission’s recommendation. A decision, the federation says now will carry with it too much political power.

“The council just passed a commission that will be less-educated, less fair and not even close to being balanced,” Titus said.

To give you a better idea of just what this review commission does: We know in 2014, it recommended 87 separate charges of improper action by members of the department. In the end, 10 of those were sustained or allowed to stand by the police chief.

The St. Paul city council is expected to give this plan final approval next week.

]]>http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/08/city-council-votes-to-remove-st-paul-officers-from-internal-affairs-commission/feed/1Boschwitz Remembers John Glenn As Gracious Senate Colleaguehttp://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/08/boschwitz-glenn/
http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/08/boschwitz-glenn/#respondFri, 09 Dec 2016 00:02:26 +0000WCCO | CBS Minnesotahttp://minnesota.cbslocal.com/?p=704776Former U.S. Sen. Rudy Boschwitz remembers former astronaut John Glenn as a gracious colleague in the Senate.]]>MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Former U.S. Sen. Rudy Boschwitz remembers former astronaut John Glenn as a gracious colleague in the Senate.

Boschwitz calls Glenn, who died Thursday at age 95, an American hero and “a very good friend.” Boschwitz, a Minnesota Republican, says he and Glenn, a Democrat from Ohio, had their offices next to each other — “by choice.”

In a statement, Boschwitz calls Glenn “a very gracious man who was always ready to reach across the aisle and help the Senate work as it should.”

Besides having their offices next to each other in the Hart Senate Office Building, Boschwitz and Glenn also served together on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Take Our Poll]]>http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/08/news-click-business-with-wells-fargo/feed/0Ice Castle Under Construction In Downtown Stillwaterhttp://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/08/stillwater-ice-castle/
http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/08/stillwater-ice-castle/#respondThu, 08 Dec 2016 23:39:49 +0000WCCO | CBS Minnesotahttp://minnesota.cbslocal.com/?p=704763The drop in temperature has been quite a challenge for some Minnesotans this week -- but the builders of an ice castle in the Twin Cities are elated.
]]>

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — The drop in temperature has been quite a challenge for some Minnesotans this week — but the builders of an ice castle in the Twin Cities are elated.

(credit: CBS)

Crews are finally able to start making the ice that is needed to build a castle along the St. Croix River in downtown Stillwater.

It is a cold job, but the builders say they love it, and visitors will love what they have created.

Blake Hawbaker is the Stillwater site manager for the Utah-based company Ice Castles, which is building five castles around the country this winter.

“What we do is we harvest icicles that we grow outside the castle, and we bring these icicles in and that’s basically the brick and the water is the mortar,” Hawbaker said.

They chose Stillwater this time around, and hope the city’s nearby downtown shopping district will help attract visitors.

Eden Prairie’s ice castle in 2015 (credit: CBS)

“We’re running the sprinklers just as they are to get a good ice base, and then we’ll start building height on the walls,” Hawbaker said.

As more icicles are put in place, and more water is sprayed, the structure will grow.

Walls will become towers, which make way for archways and rooms, tunnels and slides.

“I wish the snow had come last week,” Hawbaker said. “The snow is a pretty integral part of our building process as well. We need it to make slush, and that’s the way we freeze our icicles into place is using slush.”

And as majestic as it looks during the day, it is even more magical at night.

“There are lights inside the ice, the whole thing glows. It changes colors, we have a light show that’s cued up to the music. It’s a pretty unique experience,” he said.

The builders say it should be open for tours around New Year’s Day and will remain open until March.

]]>http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/08/keith-ellison-trump-cabinet/feed/5Minn. Historical Board Votes Unanimously To Keep Civil War Paintings In Capitolhttp://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/08/minn-historical-board-votes-unanimously-to-keep-civil-war-paintings-in-capitol/
http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/08/minn-historical-board-votes-unanimously-to-keep-civil-war-paintings-in-capitol/#respondThu, 08 Dec 2016 23:24:02 +0000WCCO | CBS Minnesotahttp://minnesota.cbslocal.com/?p=704752The battle over Civil War art at the Minnesota State Capitol is over -- and it appears Gov. Mark Dayton has lost this last round.]]>

“Veterans service organizations say thank you very much. In fact, for us in the American Legion, part of our constitution reads, ‘to preserve the memories of our associations in the Great Wars,'” said Randy Tesdahl, executive director of the Minnesota American Legion.

The board did uphold the removal of other paintings, including two that have hung in the governor’s reception area since the Capitol opened in 1905.

Native American groups complained that “Father Hennepin at St. Anthony Falls,” and “The Signing of the Treaty at Traverse De Sioux” were offensive.

The paintings will be moved elsewhere in the Capitol and will be accompanied by additional exhibits to put them in their historic context.

That drew praise from Board Member Kurt Bluedog, an Army veteran and a Dakota tribal member.

“I was in support of moving them out, but as I sit in the meeting, I think there’s a place for them, they still can be very educational,” Bluedog said.

Two other paintings which were not original to the Capitol, and that the board considered as historically-inaccurate depictions of Minnesotans battling Native Americans, will be removed and put in storage.

Gov. Dayton, who wanted all the paintings gone, issued this statement Thursday: “It’s their decision to make and I accept their decision.”

The board says the search for replacement art to hang in the governor’s reception area will begin soon.

]]>http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/08/minn-historical-board-votes-unanimously-to-keep-civil-war-paintings-in-capitol/feed/0Stoltz, Century-Old St. Paul Cleaners, Calls It Quitshttp://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/08/stoltz-closing-st-paul/
http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/08/stoltz-closing-st-paul/#respondThu, 08 Dec 2016 23:15:56 +0000WCCO | CBS Minnesotahttp://minnesota.cbslocal.com/?p=704739 It's been anchoring the corner at Snelling and Grand for decades. The Tracy family has owned and operated Stoltz Dry Cleaners since 1979.]]>

ST. PAUL, Minn. (WCCO) — It’s been anchoring the corner at Snelling and Grand for decades. The Tracy family has owned and operated Stoltz Dry Cleaners since 1979.

“Yeah, I was getting tired, it’s been a long time,” owner Joel Tracy said on Thursday.

On Jan. 2, the clothes conveyors will stop for the last time when Stoltz Cry Cleaning closes for good.

“Nothing lasts forever,” Tracy said. “Dayton’s is gone, and people still talk about it.”

He says the business has changed over the years. There are fewer and fewer people dry cleaning their clothes. It’s at a time when the profit margins are growing thinner.

While the couple’s six children have other careers in mind, keeping the business in the family would require costly upgrades of aging equipment.

“Every customer comes in here and I tell them, ‘I won’t miss the stress or hours, but I will miss you,'” Tracy said.

A large sign on the door breaks the bad news to longtime customers like Samantha Gemberling. She started coming to Stoltz with her father when she could barely see over the counter.

“I can’t believe my dry cleaner is closing, so it’s sad,” she said. “It’s a big community neighborhood, so it’s a big loss.”

Others are finding out in a phone call, as the business attempts to contact all the customers with dry cleaning yet to pick up.

Tracy is also the guy who presses the U.S. flags that cover veterans’ caskets. He’s done some 1,400 flags over the years.

“That’s probably the hardest thing to talk about, because I am not one, but always wanted to be,” Tracy said.

He’s performed the task free of charge – never charging a dime.

“Some people die for their country, I just press flags,” he said.

That — plus a whole lot more — is what makes this small family business so special to its customers and community.

“Everybody that comes in says something nice or says I’m going to miss you,” Tracy said. “You guys have been great to us all these years, so it gets…it’s hard.”

The store’s final day to pick up dry cleaning will be Jan. 2. Then the business will close permanently to make room for two new stores, a My Burger and Nothing Bundt Cakes.

]]>http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/08/stoltz-closing-st-paul/feed/0Minnetrista Home Likely A Total Loss After Fire, Homeowner Escapeshttp://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/08/minnetrista-lake-minnetonka-house-fire/
http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/08/minnetrista-lake-minnetonka-house-fire/#commentsThu, 08 Dec 2016 23:00:18 +0000WCCO | CBS Minnesotahttp://minnesota.cbslocal.com/?p=704605A home in the west Twin Cities metro is likely a total loss after a fire Thursday morning.]]>

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Firefighters spent the morning battling a massive fire at a home on Lake Minnetonka.

It’s believed to have ignited in a garage at a home on South Bay Drive in Minnetrista. No one was hurt, but the flames and water destroyed the building.

Ask any firefighter and they will tell you every house fire has its challenges..

“We’re trying to find hot spots in the building,” said St. Boni Fire Capt. Jamie Burton.

At the burned home on South Bay Drive, the concern went beyond the potential for flare-ups.

“This is challenging, but the most challenging thing is the weather,” Burton said.

Temperatures ranging from the teens to 20s added an extra layer of difficulty for those extinguishing the flames.

“It is cold, so we have to rotate crews in. We’ve had crews coming in from 10-12 departments,” Burton said.

Firefighters, who were on the scene for several hours, used warming tents in between shifts.

“If we can get them inside for a bit to just warm up the hands and stuff like that, it helps when they go and do the work,” he said.

The fire began around 8:30 a.m. According to a family member, the homeowner noticed smoke in his garage while leaving to walk his dog. By the time help arrived, the front of the home was in flames.

“We had explosions when we first got on scene the initial ones were probably ammunition. It felt like ammunition and then we had a couple of bigger explosions which was probably propane tanks,” Burton said.

The state fire marshal is investigating the cause of the fire.

]]>http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/08/minnetrista-lake-minnetonka-house-fire/feed/2Vikings Trying To Survive Season Filled With Adversityhttp://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/08/vikings-trying-to-survive-season-filled-with-adversity/
http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/08/vikings-trying-to-survive-season-filled-with-adversity/#commentsThu, 08 Dec 2016 22:40:57 +0000WCCO | CBS Minnesotahttp://minnesota.cbslocal.com/?p=704741The Minnesota Vikings' season began with an ambulance rushing to team headquarters to save the leg of their starting quarterback.]]>EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (AP) — The Minnesota Vikings’ season began with an ambulance rushing to team headquarters to save the leg of their starting quarterback.

A blockbuster trade followed to get another quarterback in town just ahead of the season opener in hopes of keeping a championship window open only to have the offensive line decimated by injuries, their star running back go down with a knee injury and their offensive coordinator to walk away midseason with the offense struggling to get going.

And after all that, their head coach showed up to work this week with an eye patch after needing emergency eye surgery.

Few teams have faced more adversity this season than the Vikings (6-6), and their play on the field has reflected the chaos.

They started the season 5-0 thanks to an elite defense and Sam Bradford’s smooth transition from Philadelphia to Minnesota.

But they have lost six of their past seven games as they prepare to play the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, and have gone from Super Bowl hopefuls to holding on to their playoff lives over the past month.

“As far as last year, things are a little bit different, like smooth sailing, good things happen, everybody’s happy,” receiver Stefon Diggs said, thinking back to an NFC North-championship winning season in 2015.

“This year, things are a little bumpy in a road. But just like a football game, when you’re going in a football game, adversity is going to hit at one point. What you’re going to do after that is going to determine the rest of the game.”

For an organization that is well-versed in drama and pratfall — Adrian Peterson’s child abuse case two years ago, Brett Favre’s downfall in 2010, the Love Boat, etc., etc. — this season ranks nowhere near the top of the list when it comes to misfortune. But it has had no shortage of adversity.

—Teddy Bridgewater suffered a dislocated knee that, were it not for the fast action by the Vikings training staff and trauma medics who rushed to the scene, could have resulted in an amputation from a non-contact drill.

—Peterson tore the meniscus in his right knee in Week 3, robbing the offense of its most potent and well-established playmaker.

There remains a chance he will play before the season is over, but only if the Vikings’ playoff hopes remain alive.

—The offensive line lost tackles Andre Smith, Matt Kalil, Jake Long and Phil Loadholt and guard Mike Harris for the season with injuries. Center Joe Berger and right guard Brandon Fusco have also missed time and left guard Alex Boone has been playing through pain for weeks.

All of the injuries have made an essential position group the biggest weakness on the team and the biggest reason the offense is ranked 31st in the league.

—Norv Turner, coach Mike Zimmer’s right-hand man in charge of the offense, abruptly left the team in early November with the offense having trouble pulling its own weight.

Pat Shurmer was elevated from tight ends coach to offensive coordinator, but the change has done little to spark a unit ranked 26th in the league in scoring.

—Kicker Blair Walsh needed to be cut after leading the NFL in missed extra points, forcing the Vikings to scramble to add Kai Forbath in free agency.

—Zimmer has needed multiple surgeries on his right eye to address a detached retina, which caused him to miss the game last week against the Cowboys.

He wore an eye patch during practice on Tuesday and sunglasses on Wednesday and Thursday and will be coaching the team in Jacksonville on Sunday.

“We have to take advantage of the opportunities we have,” said special teams coordinator Mike Priefer, who filled in as head coach for Zimmer last week.

“Coach Zimmer talked to the team this week about our backs being against the wall. We’ve got to go get a win on Sunday and then hopefully the sky is the limit from there. But we’ve got to get this one first.”

The Vikings are operating under the assumption that they have to win their final four games to get into the playoffs, a stark difference from the team that was flying high after routing the Houston Texans in Week 5.

The margin for error has disappeared, and now they’re hoping for a 4-0 finish to the season just like the one in 2012 that pushed them into the postseason after a 6-6 start.

“You’re so frustrated because it is things that we’re doing to ourselves,” Boone said. “At the same time you have to learn and really grow. This is the time where you’re either going to take a step forward or take a step back.”

]]>http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/08/vikings-trying-to-survive-season-filled-with-adversity/feed/1Man Indicted For Murder In Burnsville Dollar Tree Shootinghttp://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/08/dollar-tree-shooting-first-degree-murder/
http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/08/dollar-tree-shooting-first-degree-murder/#commentsThu, 08 Dec 2016 22:02:41 +0000WCCO | CBS Minnesotahttp://minnesota.cbslocal.com/?p=704733A 27-year-old South St. Paul man has been indicted by a grand jury for murder in a November fatal shooting a Dollar Tree Store in Burnsville.]]>MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – A 27-year-old South St. Paul man has been indicted by a grand jury for murder in a November fatal shooting a Dollar Tree Store in Burnsville.

Grant David Hendrickson was charged with multiple crimes in the death of 69-year-old Donald Joseph Hortsch of Rosemount and the attempted murder of a 27-year-old man on Nov. 7. Hendrickson faces seven total charges in the incident. They include first-degree and second-degree murder, attempted first and second-degree murder, first and second-degree assault and possession of a pistol by a prohibited person.

The incident happened just after noon on Nov. 7. Authorities say Hendrickson walked into the Dollar Tree Store and shot two men. He was caught nearby minutes later, with the help of witnesses.

Authorities say witnesses inside the store saw Hendrickson shoot the two men in the store, then leave.

According to the charges, two brothers working at the store encountered a woman at the store that day. The woman was Hendrickson’s girlfriend. The two brothers and their parents had recently been evicted from an apartment in Burnsville, and they believed Hendrickson’s girlfriend was responsible after calling police several times on noise complaints.

The complaint states during the woman’s altercation with one of the brothers working at the store, he referred to Hendrickson as a sex offender. She had no knowledge of that, became angry and talked with Hendrickson after he got out of class at St. Paul College that morning.

The complaint states Hendrickson entered the store to talk to one of the brothers, and they had an argument outside the store. Hendrickson told the man, “You don’t know me and I will kill you.” Hendrickson then started pushing the man, who punched Hendrickson in the face three times.

According to the complaint, Hendrickson was escorted out of the store before he re-entered and started shooting.

The complaint states Hendrickson then called his girlfriend to tell her he had just shot two people. He told her he was being jumped by five people and had no choice but to shoot.

Hendrickson has a previous conviction for first-degree criminal sexual conduct dating back to September of 2010.

State environmental scientist Bill Suess says the spill was discovered Monday by a landowner near Belfield, in western North Dakota. Suess say the cause of the leak is under investigation, and the amount of the spill is unknown.

Suess says the spill migrated about 2.5 miles from the spill site along Ash Coulee Creek. Suess says Thursday that the spill appears to be contained.

The 6-inch steel pipeline is operated by Belle Fourche Pipeline, which part of Wyoming-based True Companies.

Spokeswoman Wendy Owen says the pipeline was shut down immediately after the leak was discovered and crews are cleaning it up.

]]>http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/08/nd-oil-cleanup/feed/0Trump To Make Wisconsin Visit On Last Day Of Recounthttp://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/08/trump-wis-visit/
http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/08/trump-wis-visit/#respondThu, 08 Dec 2016 21:42:28 +0000WCCO | CBS Minnesotahttp://minnesota.cbslocal.com/?p=704725President-elect Donald Trump is planning a return visit to Wisconsin next week on the day an election recount must be done.]]>MADISON, Wis. (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump is planning a return visit to Wisconsin next week on the day an election recount must be done.

Trump has scheduled a stop on Tuesday night at the Wisconsin State Fair Exposition Center in West Allis. Vice president-elect Mike Pence was also scheduled to join him.

Trump has been traveling around the country holding rallies as part of what he’s dubbing his “thank you” tour.

Trump won Wisconsin by about 22,000 votes, becoming the first Republican presidential candidate to win the state since 1984. Trump’s visit is on the same day Wisconsin must certify the election results.

A recount requested by Green Party candidate Jill Stein is ongoing and so far few votes have changed.

]]>http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/08/snoop-dog-puff-puff-pass-tour/feed/0Win Tickets To See Guns N’ Roses!http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/win-tickets-to-see-guns-n-roses/
http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/win-tickets-to-see-guns-n-roses/#respondThu, 08 Dec 2016 21:22:32 +0000WCCO | CBS Minnesotahttp://minnesota.cbslocal.com/?p=704699WCCO’s got your shot at tickets to Guns N’ Roses at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis on July 30th!]]>WCCO’s got your shot at tickets to Guns N’ Roses at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis on July 30th!]]>http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/win-tickets-to-see-guns-n-roses/feed/0Minn. UW-Madison Students Urged To Get 2nd Bacterial Meningitis Vaccinehttp://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/08/uw-mad-vaccines/
http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/08/uw-mad-vaccines/#respondThu, 08 Dec 2016 20:46:58 +0000WCCO | CBS Minnesotahttp://minnesota.cbslocal.com/?p=704679Minnesota students attending the University of Wisconsin–Madison are being urged by health officials to get a second round of vaccinations while on winter break.]]>MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — Minnesota students attending the University of Wisconsin–Madison are being urged by health officials to get a second round of vaccinations while on winter break.

The Minnesota Department of Public Health says students should make an appointment to get another dose of a meningococcal B vaccine after a recent outbreak of bacterial meningitis on campus.

Most students originally received a dose of Bexsero in Madison, and those Minnesota students — estimated at 2,000 — should tell their doctors to give them the same drug again. The doses need to be taken within a couple months of each other for complete protection.

About 70 percent of the student body received the first round of vaccinations.

]]>http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/08/uw-mad-vaccines/feed/0Concerns Over Minneapolis’ $1.3B Budgethttp://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/08/minneapolis-budget/
http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/08/minneapolis-budget/#commentsThu, 08 Dec 2016 20:02:07 +0000WCCO | CBS Minnesotahttp://minnesota.cbslocal.com/?p=704677The Minneapolis City Council has signed off on a 2017 budget of $1.3 billion that reportedly includes more than $1 million to hire 15 new police officers.
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MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – The Minneapolis City Council has signed off on a 2017 budget of $1.3 billion that reportedly includes more than $1 million to hire 15 new police officers.

At a council meeting Wednesday night, several residents expressed concern about adding more police officers. Some argued that the money would be better used for collaborative public safety strategies.

Meanwhile, some praised the budget for its inclusion of a police mental health response program.

Others still urged the city to not do business with Wells Fargo for its investment in the Dakota Access Pipeline.

]]>http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/08/minneapolis-budget/feed/3Dara Moskowitz Grumdahl’s Top 5 Pomegranate Recipeshttp://minnesota.cbslocal.com/top-lists/dara-moskowitz-grumdahls-top-5-pomegranate-recipes-2/
http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/top-lists/dara-moskowitz-grumdahls-top-5-pomegranate-recipes-2/#respondThu, 08 Dec 2016 19:30:40 +0000WCCO | CBS Minnesotahttp://minnesota.cbslocal.com/?p=704672They're pretty little red jewels and delicious. But what do you do with them? Dara has your back. Here are the top 5 Pomegranate Recipes!]]>Off the Menu with Dara can be heard every Saturday from 11 a.m. to noon on News Radio 830 WCCO! See all of Mpls. St.Paul Magazine’s Dara Moskowitz Grumdahl’s Top 5 lists here!

What’s prettier than pomegranate seeds? Not much. Bright red jewels, and they’re a super-food too, chockablock with Vitamin C and fiber. They’ve also got more cancer-fighting phytochemicals and anti-aging antioxidants than just about any other food known to mankind, including cranberries, green tea, and grapes. But how are you going to eat them? Like this! My top 5 pomegranate recipes.

]]>http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/top-lists/dara-moskowitz-grumdahls-top-5-pomegranate-recipes-2/feed/0Tommies Blog: Turnovers Plague St. Thomas In Loss To Oshkoshhttp://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/08/tommies-blog-turnovers-plague-st-thomas-in-loss-to-oshkosh/
http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/08/tommies-blog-turnovers-plague-st-thomas-in-loss-to-oshkosh/#respondThu, 08 Dec 2016 19:11:02 +0000WCCO | CBS Minnesotahttp://minnesota.cbslocal.com/?p=704420The No. 3-ranked St. Thomas football team had its season end in a 34-31 loss to UW-Oshkosh on Saturday in the NCAA quarterfinals.]]>After reaching the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl last year, it felt like 2016 might be the year the St. Thomas football team breaks through and wins the national title.

Mount Union showed it’s human with a regular season loss to John Carroll, snapping a regular season win streak of 112 games. That same John Carroll squad eliminated another Division III power, UW-Whitewater, last Saturday in the quarterfinals.

But No. 3-ranked St. Thomas won’t get the opportunity to avenge last year’s loss in the national title game. No. 4-ranked UW-Oshkosh eliminated the Tommies with a few early punches and forcing eight turnovers in a 34-31 victory over St. Thomas last Saturday in St. Paul.

St. Thomas quarterback Alex Fenkse had thrown just four interceptions all season. He threw four in the first half on Saturday, five total. Despite that, the Tommies had a last chance to win or force overtime and were driving against the Titans. Fenske had a pass headed for his favorite target, Nick Waldvogel, sail on him and it was intercepted to seal a 34-31 Oshkosh victory.

UW-Oshkosh advances to face John Carroll this Saturday, with the winner moving on to play for the Division III national title. For the Tommies, it was a bitter pill to swallow after it appeared they were peaking and playing their best football at the right time.

“Hats off to Oshkosh. They are a great program. We can’t expect to win any game with eight turnovers,” St. Thomas coach Glenn Caruso said. “That for us is about three months worth and it took about three hours, so that’s sad.”

“We knew it was going to be a dog fight and it was,” Oshkosh coach Pat Cerroni said.

(credit: St. Thomas)

Oshkosh might have had a secret weapon to prevail over St. Thomas. Wide receiver Sam Mentkowski wasn’t on the team’s depth chart that was submitted before the playoffs. He was recovering from a collar bone injury. But Saturday, he had seven catches for 184 yards and three touchdowns. He made every big play when quarterback Brett Kasper threw his way.

Dylan Hecker also led a stout and physical Titans run game with 79 yards and a touchdown on 25 carries. His lone score came on their opening drive to give Oshkosh a 7-0 lead.

St. Thomas answered the opening score with a touchdown drive of its own, capped by Fenske’s 4-yard touchdown pass to Matt Christenson to tie the game 7-7 early on. But Oshkosh answered with the next 17 points to take a 24-7 lead in the second quarter.

Kasper found Mentkowski for 46-yard score on a quick slant to give the Titans back the lead. Fenske was intercepted on the Tommies’ ensuing possession, and one play later, Kasper found Mentkowski down the sideline for a 38-yard score.

St. Thomas got a field goal to cut the deficit to 24-10 at half. But the Tommies hadn’t been hit in the mouth like that all season. They were on their heels on defense, and the Oshkosh defense had Fenske confused. That said, it was hardly time to panic.

The Tommies took the momentum back with a few big plays and defensive stops. Fenkse found Jackson Hull on a 31-yard touchdown to cut the deficit to 24-17 in the third quarter. St. Thomas forced an Oshkosh punt on the next possession, which Ryan Winter blocked and returned 30 yards for a touchdown to tie the game 24-24. Suddenly, St. Thomas had life again.

“It was a fourth and short so we were in punt safe in case they were going to fake it. I heard they were going to double team the guy next to me and I had a free run to the punter,” Winter said. “I got a good bounce.”

Oshkosh regained the lead midway through the third quarter on Mentkowski’s third touchdown reception of the day. St. Thomas answered with a scoring drive of its own, capped by a 14-yard Josh Parks touchdown run to tie the game 31-31. Parks finished the day with 154 yards and the score on 21 carries, averaging more than seven yards per carry.

The back-breaker for the Tommies came on the drive that led to the Titans’ eventual game-winning field goal. Facing a 3rd-and-11 at their own 24, Devon Linzenmeyer ran for a 36-yard first down to the St. Thomas 40-yard line. The Titans overloaded the right side of their line, then ran back to the left with nothing but green grass ahead and a few key blocks.

“I thought that’s a hell of a call,” Cerroni said. “That’s what good teams do, they run the ball and ram it down your throat.”

It eventually led to Eli Wettstein’s 36-yard field goal to give the Titans a 34-31 lead with 2:30 left.

St. Thomas still had two timeouts and was driving, but Fenske’s fifth interception of the day ended the hopes of a Tommies comeback. Fenske was scrambling from pressure and had Waldvogel open, but the pressure forced the throw to sail and it was an easy interception for Oshkosh.

The loss ends the football careers of 26 St. Thomas seniors.

“It’s a group that worked tirelessly for the program and it’s tough to see them go out on a game like this,” Caruso said. “Their legacy is one of selflessness. There were a lot of role changes and sacrifices this group made. I’m probably more excited for the growth I’ve seen in them as young men.”

One silver lining: Jordan Roberts, the 2015 Division III Offensive Player of the Year, will be back next year after missing most of this season with a leg injury.

It’s a tough ending for a team that was getting better in the bigger games and seemed to have a legitimate chance for a national title after coming so close last year.

]]>http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/08/tommies-blog-turnovers-plague-st-thomas-in-loss-to-oshkosh/feed/0‘Shovelable’ Snow Headed Right For The Metrohttp://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/08/snow-metro-saturday-storm/
http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/12/08/snow-metro-saturday-storm/#commentsThu, 08 Dec 2016 18:55:00 +0000WCCO | CBS Minnesotahttp://minnesota.cbslocal.com/?p=704629 Minnesotans in the Twin Cities should have their shovels ready this weekend, as up to 4 inches of snow are expected to fall on the metro and it won’t melt any time soon. ]]>

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Minnesotans in the Twin Cities should have their shovels ready this weekend, as up to 4 inches of snow are expected to fall on the metro and it won’t melt any time soon.

Meteorologist Mike Augustyniak says the snow will move into the state Saturday morning in the southwest and hit the metro around noon. Later in the evening, the storm system will move into Duluth and western Wisconsin.

“The whole system will be in and out pretty quickly, in about 12 to 18 hours,” Augustyniak said. “But it’s still going to drop a shovelable and plowable snowfall.”

Communities in southern Minnesota, including the metro, could see 3 to 6 inches of snow on average.

Unlike earlier snowfalls this season, which melted within hours or days due to warmer than usual temperatures, this snow will stick around.

Next week looks to bring frigid temperatures, with many Minnesotans expected to experience their first below-zero night of the season Tuesday.